Combined steam-engine and air-compressor.



PATENTED DEC. 26, 1905;

0. PERO, s11. COMBINED STEAM ENGINE AND AIR COMPRESSOR.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 3. 1904.

2 SHEETS-BEBE! 1.

rm 0 9 1 6 2 m APPLICATION FILED NOV. 3. 1904.

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ivrrnn STATEMENT ornicn CHARLES FERO, SR, OF BAY CITY, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JACOB P. BENDEN, OF WEST BAY OITY, MICIIIGAN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 26, 1905.

Application filed November 3, 1904- Serial No. 231,272.

To aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES FERO, Sr., a citizen of the United States, residing at Bay City, in the county of Bay and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Combined Steam-Engine and Air-Compressor; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in combined steam-engines and air-compressors; and it consists in certain novel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The object of my invention is to provide a machine of this character which will be simple in construction, durable in use, efiicient in operation, and comparatively inexpensive to produce.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of a double or twin combined steam-engine and air-compressor embodying my invention, one-half of the same being in horizontal section to show the interior parts. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view, on an enlarged scale, of one side of the twin engine and aircompressor. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line 7 7 in Fig. 1.

On a suitable base 1 are mounted cylinders 51, each of which comprises a central portion 3 and two end portions 4 and 5, the central portion being of greater diameter than the end portions. The end portions or cylinders have their inner ends in communication with the central portion or cylinder and have their outer ends closed by heads 6. In the central cylinder 3 is a piston 7, and in the end cylinders 4 and 5 are pistons 8 and 9,

which oppose the piston 7. The latter is secured, as at 57, on the center of a piston-rod 58, the opposite ends of whichproject through the end pistons 8 and 9 and through stuffingboxes in the heads of the end cylinders. Cross-heads 116 are secured to the ends of said piston-rod and are connected by pitmen 59 to the cranks 52 53 at right angles to each other and on shafts 54 55, which are j ournaled in bearings '56 on the ends of the base. The pistons 8 and 9 are respectively provided with piston-rods 60, which are connected by pitmen 61 to cranks on the shafts 54 55, respectively, the piston 9 being thus connected to the shaft and the piston 8 being connected to the shaft 54. Said shafts are provided with fly-wheels 27.

Adjacent to the outer ends of the end cylinders 4 and 5 are air inlet and outlet valves 28 29, respectively, which may be of any suitable construction. The valves 28 are mounted in air-intake passages 30 in the sides of said cylinders, and the valves 29 are mounted in air-discharge passages 30 in the lower portions ofsaid cylinders. Hence said valves, together with the pistons 8 and 9, coact with the cylinder-heads 6 to compress air in the spaces between said heads and pistons when the latter are caused to reciprocate.

On one side of each central cylinder is a valve-casing 31, which has a centrally-disposed steam-inlet 32 and is provided at one end with a steam-exhaust outlet 33. (See Figs. 1 and 2.) The steam space or chamber 34 of said casing communicates with the ends of the central cylinder 3 by means of steam passages or chambers 35 and 36, which are controlled by a reciprocating steam-valve 37. (Here shown as cylindrical in form.) Said valve has annular end portions 38, which are adapted to open and close the steam-passages 35 and 36 and which divide the interior of the casing 31 into live and exhaust steam chambers 39 and 40, respectively. The steam-inlet 32 is always in communication with the live-steam space 39, and the exhaust-steam exhaust-outlet 33 is in communication with the space 40. The valve 37 is secured on one end of arod 41,Which projects through a stuffing-box 42 in one end of the casing and also operates in a guide 43 on the base 1. Said rod 43 is connected to a pitman 45, which is operated by an eccentric 46 on the cranlcshafts 55.

The operation of my improved combined engine and air-compressor is as follows: Assuming that the parts are in the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings, live steam will be admitted to each central cylinder 3 through the passage 36, between the pistons 7 and 9, and will force them in opposite directions, the passage 35 being in the meantime open to permit the steam to exhaust from between the pistons 7 and 8. When the crank-shafts have made a hall"- revolution, the pistons 7 and 8 will be in the ends of their cylinders opposite to those in which they are shown in Fig. 3 and live steam will be admitted between them through the passage 35, the valve 37 in the meantime having been shifted by the eccentric 46. The pistons 8 and 9 thus alternately oppose the piston 7 and as the former reciprocate air will be drawn through the inlet-valves 28 into the ends of the cylinders 4 and 5 upon their instroke and forced out of the same through the valve 29 upon their outstroke.

Having thus describedmy invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A combined steam-engine and air-compressor, comprising a support, a central cylinder mounted thereon and provided with steam inlet and outlet ports adjacent to its ends, end cylinders having their outer ends closed and their inner ends in communication piston-rod for said central piston projecting through each of said end pistons and connected to said crank-shafts, piston-rods for said end pistons connected to said crankshafts, a steamvalve for said steam inlet and outlet ports in said central cylinder, and an operating connection between said steamvalve and one of said crank-shafts, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES FERO, s R. 

